Paulina
Meaning of Paulina
Paulina stems from the ancient Roman family name Paulus; as a feminine diminutive it literally means “small,” though modern ears often hear a gentler “modest” in its echo. Carried by early saints, a Bonaparte princess, and Shakespeare’s clear-eyed heroine in The Winter’s Tale, the name moves easily between chapel, salon, and stage. Its continental flair survives in Spanish, Italian, and English pronunciation alike, offering parents an international badge without linguistic contortions. In the United States it has maintained a courteous distance from the popularity spotlight—hovering in the lower half of the Top 1000 for over a century—so a modern Paulina is unlikely to share her name with every classmate, yet won’t spend recess teaching others to spell it. Diminutives range from brisk Polly to streamlined Lina, giving the bearer room to adjust the formality dial as life requires. Small in etymology but notably versatile, Paulina delivers a quietly confident choice for families after something familiar, cosmopolitan, and pleasantly under-used.
Pronunciation
Italian
- Pronunced as paw-LEE-nah (/paʊ̯ˈliːna/)
English
- Pronunced as paw-LEE-nuh (/pɔːˈliːnə/)
Spanish
- Pronunced as pow-LEE-nah (/poʊˈlinə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Paulina
| Paulina Rubio, known as "The Golden Girl," is a Mexican singer, songwriter, and TV personality who gained fame with Timbiriche and has sold over 15 million records as a solo artist. |
| Paulina Porizkova is a Czech-born fashion model, author, and actress who made history as the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1984. |
| Paulina Vega Dieppa, a Colombian model and business administrator, won Miss Universe 2014 after being crowned Miss Colombia 2013, making her the second Colombian to win the title. |
| Chief Paulina, also known as Pahninee, was a Northern Paiute war leader celebrated for his guerrilla tactics, active from 1859 until his death in 1867. |
| Paulina Olegovna Andreeva is a Russian actress recognized for her roles in "The Method" and "Better than Us." |
| Paulina Gaitán Ruiz is a Mexican actress renowned for her role as Pablo Escobar's wife in the Netflix series Narcos. |
| Paulina Lavitz, also known as Pepi Lavitz, was a Polish-born actress in American Yiddish theatre. |
| Paulina Abagaye - Paulina Patience Tangoba Abagaye is a Ghanaian diplomat and former ambassador to Italy who served as the Upper East Regional Minister and is a member of the New Patriotic Party. |
| Paulina Cagara is a chess player from Poland. |
| Paulina Krumbiegel - Paulina Käte Krumbiegel is a German international midfielder who plays for Juventus in Serie A, following her previous stint with TSG Hoffenheim. |
| Paulina Harriet de Gorostarzou was a French-Spanish industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Colegio Nuestra Señora de Lourdes in Valladolid in 1884. |
| Paulina Margarita Gálvez Pineda, a Salvadoran-Colombian model and beauty queen, won the Miss International pageant in 1999 in Tokyo, Japan, where she was also named Miss Photogenic as the second winner from her country. |
| Paulina Paluch is a Polish athlete who competed in the women's 4 × 100 metres relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics. |
